You Can't Outrun Everything
by Silentstorm1
Summary: After Iris' close brush with death, Barry doesn't want to let anyone else get close to him or the Flash. Cisco just wants to see his best friend happy again. Jordan Wayne left the lies, manipulation and life of crime fighting behind when she moved to Central City. All she wants in life is peace and quiet, but her past threatens to drag her back to Gotham, dead or alive.
1. Chapter 1

She did it.

The phrase kept repeating over and over in her head as she stared up at the Wayne Enterprise tower looming over her. Although the night was dark, the 'W' on the top of the tower shone bright, illuminating the building.

She realized she looked odd standing there, the gym shorts and cutoff being the wrong choice for the crisp fall air she encountered.

As much as she wanted to get a few hours of good sleep tonight, the need for confirmation of her choice far outweighed the benefits.

She had walked away.

Or did she? She still carried his name. She still was a part of his company. She hadn't walked away from Bruce Wayne.

A branch snapped and she quickly scanned the area, heart racing. Her eyes settled on a deer in the yard of a quaint coffee shop and she shook her head. Overreacting as usual.

 _This is why I had to walk away._ She mused to herself.

She walked away from the Batman.

Even in the dark Central City felt lighter than Gotham. The edge she had felt while patrolling the streets with Batman was replaced with the ease and calm of the neighborhood she was in.

She took a deep breath and rolled her shoulders, eager to shake the itch she felt, the need to be doing something.

 _Nights on patrol aren't for me anymore._ She chided herself while beginning to walk towards her apartment again.

Jordan Wayne had left that life behind.

* * *

Her phone rang out in the early hours of the morning. Groaning as she picked it up, she shielded her eyes from the light. Her bedroom was still dark, a few boxes splayed about. She had paid for someone else to furnish the apartment on the plane waiting to taxi out of Gotham. Thankfully, they had it done by the time she touched down in Central.

 _Did you make it safe?_ Dick had texted her. Of course he did. Bruce was as stubborn as she was.

Jordan tossed the phone aside and sat up, stretching out. She wasn't awake enough for this conversation.

The clock on her oven read 6:54 am as she stomped to the bathroom, wishing the shower would wash away the irritation she felt from his text. She didn't want to talk to him.

She didn't want to talk to any of them.

She showered until the hot water ran out, scrubbing her hair as if she could scrub all her thoughts of them away. Only once it was miserably cold did she step out, wrapping her robe around herself as she walked back to the bedroom. She picked up the phone again.

 _I'm here._ She replied, knowing he would text her again and again till she answered. Thankfully, phone calls weren't his style. Her phone buzzed again as she changed into a plain black tee shirt and dark blue jeans- she ignored it and headed to the kitchen.

She pulled out her laptop as she searched for the nearest coffee shop. After settling on Jitters since it was only two blocks away, she walked to the bathroom where she had stashed her makeup the day before and put a light amount of eyeliner and mascara.

Jordan stared at herself in the mirror as she blow dried her straight dark hair- that and her complexion was her only resemblance to her father. Her eyes were a dark green, and she was half a foot shorter than Bruce. Hell, Dick looked more like Bruce than she did.

After throwing her hair up into a quick ponytail she walked back to her room and picked up her phone again. _I miss you._ The text from Dick read. _You can always come back._

She scowled at her phone. _We'll see._ She typed her quick reply before stashing it in her pocket.

Jordan had walked away, and she wasn't too eager to come back.

* * *

"I'll have The Flash" Jordan told the woman at the register, bemused at the name. They cleverly paired the resident speedster with espresso and coffee mixed together. Most people in Gotham were afraid of the Bat family. She couldn't recall ever seeing any drinks named after them.

After her.

Shaking the thought from her head, she settled down at a table near the window. The newspaper from this morning already on the table, left behind from the previous customer. Beginning to read leisurely about the latest 'metahuman' exploit, she realized how out of her element she was.

She had told Bruce she would be taking a couple of months off before beginning to work at the Central City branch of Wayne Enterprises. To get settled she claimed. To get away from it all.

She had felt a pair of eyes watching her since she sat down. Jordan did her best to ignore them, and focused on the local news stories. The Flash and his sidekicks had favorable stories written about them, she noted as she sipped her coffee. Must be nice.

She felt he tap on the shoulder. She knew he was there before, of course, but Jordan feigned mock surprise as she turned around in her chair. "Can I help you?" She asked, peering up at the man who had walked up behind her. He had shaggy, dark hair with a slight curl to it. He wore a dark grey shirt with Gryffindor on it and held a coffee of his own.

He squirmed a little, smiling, "This may sound weird, and feel free to say you're not, but I swear that I've seen you before and my friend won't believe me that you're Jordan Wayne." The nervousness shone through his voice as he pulled a piece of hair out of his face and behind his ear.

She raised an eyebrow. "How are you so sure?" She demurred, a little rattled. She had moved away to get away from it all, even just the name. First time setting foot in a public place and she was already caught.

He saw through the brush off and his face fell, "I promise I won't make a big deal of it. I was just dragged to a panel moderated by you and Bruce Wayne about the trials Wayne Biotech were currently running at the Central City branch. My friend Caitlin was excited."

Jordan smiled and shrugged. "Well, if it's just a few people…" she trailed off winking. "I guess it's fine if you tell the truth."

He gave a goofy grin in return. "Secrets safe with me! I'm Cisco." He said winking at her as he waved his friend over. "Barry, this is Jordan. Jordan, Barry." He introduced as Barry walked over, his face a little red and his hand on the back of his neck.

"Sorry about my friend," Barry muttered, running his hand through his dirty blonde hair. "He gets a little eager."

"It's fine," Jordan said as she motioned for them to sit down. Cisco practically dove into the seat. "I'm new to Central City anyways."

"Well, you found the best coffee in town so you're on the right track." Cisco said as he motioned to her cup. "Nothing beats the Flash when it comes to waking you up." He wiggled his own, and Barry did likewise. "Definitely needed after a late night."

Jordan smiled. "I've had a lot of late nights in Gotham. At this point I'm not sure caffeine even works for me anymore." She took a drink. "But, I will admit it's pretty good."

The boy's phones buzzed. Their eyes darted to each other as they both muttered their excuses about leaving. "We have to run, but if you want, Barry and I can show you around Central City sometime." Cisco added, looking at Barry. He nodded.

"Sure," Jordan said, pulling a pen out of her purse and scribbling her number on the back of her coffee receipt. She handed it to Cisco. "That's my personal cell. Don't let it get out." She winked with a smile. Cisco smiled back as Barry rocked back and forth on his feet. She felt a strange familiarity in their behavior, but brushed it off. She wasn't in Gotham anymore.

Cisco waved as Barry practically dragged him out of Jitters. She resumed reading the paper and finishing her coffee.

 _Maybe Central City won't be as boring as I thought._


	2. Chapter 2

"Cisco," Barry called out as the other tried to sneak out the door from Star Labs after a long day. "We need to talk." The two of them were the last ones there, and Cisco had been avoiding him for most of the night. They both knew why.

Caught, Cisco padded back into the room. "Should have vibed." He muttered as he leaned against the desk. "Look, I know you're irritated I went up to her, but you said she looked cute. You need to get yourself back into the game, dude!"

Barry rolled his eyes as he gestured around here. "Are you not forgetting what happened two months ago? How we almost lost Iris because of me?" His voice was harsh, but he was frustrated. No matter how many times he had voiced this, Cisco would always do it again. "I don't want to drag anyone else into this unless it's absolutely necessary."

Cisco shrugged. "I don't know, man. When you pointed her out I had the feeling she could handle something like this."

"A vibe."

"No, a feeling." Cisco said, reaching into his pocket. "Her number is right here though, if you want me to try to vibe her."

"No!" Barry said, straightening up. "Look, I understand what you're trying to do for me, I do. But you're not helping when you keep doing this."

Cisco weighed the number in his hands for a moment. "We're still taking her out to see Central City. Caitlin is dying to meet her, and Iris wants to ask for an interview for the paper on her plans for Central City when she's ready." He said slowly as he avoided Barry's gaze. "It just feels right."

Barry sighed, knowing if Iris was involved there was no way this would be let go. "Fine. Let me know when you decide when or where." He huffed as he walked past Cisco to the exit.

Cisco turned as he watched Barry leave. "I just don't see the reason why you feel the need to punish yourself still," he called out with Barry's back to him. "Keeping yourself alone will just make you miserable."

Barry let the words hang in the air as he ignored them, choosing instead to run from Star Labs to his apartment. He tossed his keys on the table as he sat down on his couch, head in his hands. _Cisco's right._ He thought to himself as he sat there.

At first it was subconsciously. He'd show up for Iris and Eddie's movie nights for fifteen minutes- if he even showed up at all. Caitlin had returned only a few weeks ago, and she was distant as well. Whenever Cisco wanted to hang out (when he wasn't busy with Gypsy) he always claimed he had a case that he needed to be working on.

Work had lasted as a hiding place a couple of weeks before Eddie and Joe caught on. Either they or Iris would come up and stay there with him until he left- usually to get them off his back.

Nowadays, he just came home to his empty apartment whenever Star Labs was quiet. If he knew Wally was busy with Jesse or homework he'd go for runs around the city, trying to keep his mind occupied.

Trying to keep his distance from those he loved, so he'd never hurt them again.

* * *

 _Are you busy tonight? One of our friends wants to celebrate her article making the front page. Thought it'd be the perfect time for us to show you around. -CR_

Jordan smiled as she looked at her phone. It had been a week since meeting the two of them at Jitters.

 _Is she a reporter?_ She replied back as she replaced her earbuds. She had spent the last week rearranging the back half of her apartment. From the front door to the living room, kitchen, bathroom and first bedroom it looked like a normal, everyday apartment.

Behind the fridge, however, she had placed a panel to hide the other two bedrooms. The smaller one of the two she had left alone the office area the woman who furnished it had decorated. In the master bedroom she had removed and donated everything that had been bought. She spent a full day ripping up the carpet and replacing it with a wood floor.

She had hung up her punching bag in the center of the room, and a couple of shelves lined the walls to hold her various gloves and equipment. In one corner, tucked back as far away from her bag as possible, sat a metal safe.

Jordan may have left her suit behind, but she wasn't stupid enough to be unarmed.

Her phone beeped again. _Tonight's strictly off record. After a few drinks she'll probably try to convince you to do an interview with her at some point._ He replied. _Trust me, she's very persistent._

 _I'll be there._ Jordan wrote back. _Time and place?_

She strapped her gloves on and began to hit the bag. After only a couple of nights off the streets, she started to feel the knots in her shoulders from the need to do something physical. Anything. Apparently, even replace wooden flooring herself.

Falling into an easy routine she didn't realize her phone went off until she was done.

 _Downtown CC, 10pm. Want us to pick you up?_

 _No, I'll meet you there._

 _We'll meet you at this dive bar on the south side. Switch to the door is hidden beneath a statue of a lion. Password is 9124. See you tonight!_

Closing the panel behind her she made her way out the front door for a quick run. The peace and quiet was starting to make her antsy.

Getting out of the apartment would be good for a night.

* * *

Once she got past the lion 'guarding' the door, she sent Cisco a quick text that she had arrived. Within seconds she felt a hand tap on her shoulder. "Jordan!" He exclaimed, grabbing her arm and leading her to a table where Barry and three others sat. Cisco pulled up another stool and placed it between his and Barry's chair. "Jordan, this is everyone. Everyone, Jordan." He gestured as he downed the rest of his drink. "I'm getting a new one. What do you want me to grab you?"

"A coke is fine," She replied easily as she sat down in the chair next to Barry. The dark haired woman across from her laughed. Jordan was glad she put on something casual, just leggings, boots and a grey tee-shit covered by a black leather jacket.

"Cisco got a little overenthusiastic on the pre-gaming." She explained, "That's Dr. Caitlin Snow, Detective Eddie Thawne, and I'm Iris, it's nice to meet you."

Jordan smiled. "It's nice to meet you all too, congrats on your article."

"Thanks! It was my first non-Flash related article to make the front page. I thought it needed celebration."

Barry, who had barely acknowledged her since she sat down, cleared his throat and looked pointedly at Iris. Before anyone could inquire further, Cisco reappeared with more drinks.

"Alright, water for Barry because he sucks, coke for Jordan, water for Caitlin, and shots for the rest!" He exclaimed as he passed out the orders. Iris, Eddie and him clinked glasses and tipped them back. Iris and Eddie both winced at it went down their throats- Cisco seemed totally unphased as he sat back down. "Caitlin's the whole reason I recognized you at Jitters. She made me sit through that whole panel with her- how long did it last, five hours?"

Caitlin rolled her eyes. "It was two hours long and we both know you enjoyed it."

"You're more than welcome to visit the Central City labs whenever you have time," Jordan replied. "I can always take you through them."

Her eyes lit up. "That would be amazing! I haven't toured another lab in forever."

"Let's celebrate with more shots!" Cisco shouted as he jumped out of his chair and ran off.

Iris blanched. She jumped off her bar stool and pulled Eddie by his arm. "Let's dance so he can't force us to take another one with him." She led him away from the table as Caitlin sighed.

"I'll go cut him off." She said as she stood up, leaving Barry and Jordan sitting alone.

Jordan sipped on her coke as she took in her surroundings. She could see where Iris and Eddie ran and hid on the floor, and she thought she could see Cisco and Caitlin arguing at the bar.

She could see Barry sitting next to her out of the corner of her eye. His hair was messy and scattered, his blue eyes looked tired, as if he wanted to be anywhere else but here. He was dressed in a laid back red flannel and jeans.

He looked worn.

"I can leave if you want." She said, finishing her drink.

Barry blinked and turned towards her. "No," he said, shaking his head. "I'm sorry. It's been a long week, a lot of late nights."

"I've had my fair share of those." She replied without thinking. "I mean, by running the company in Gotham. That's all." She covered when he raised his eyebrow.

He nodded. "Yeah, I can relate to that." He gestured towards her now empty soda. "You don't drink?"

Jordan shrugged. "In Gotham it was never really safe for me to go out like this. Didn't want to push my luck tonight." She surveyed the room and saw Cisco walking back to the table, Caitlin in tow. He put his arms around the two of them.

"Did you leave Gotham because Dick Grayson cheated on you? I saw it on a tabloid in the grocery store." Cisco slurred out as the other three turned to him in shock.

"Cisco!" Caitlin shrieked as she pulled his arms off Jordan and Barry. She flashed the other girl a look of apology. "Leave stuff like that be."

Waving her hand in dismissal, "It's fine, bound to come up at some point." She turned towards Cisco. "It was a part of the reason, but a long time coming. No point to dwell on it." Slipping back on her jacket, she stood and smiled at the other two. "I should get going. I have to call into a board meeting tomorrow afternoon, and I haven't reviewed the files." She walked past Caitlin's protests as she headed for the door, stepping out into the cool night air. Rubbing her arms, she began walking in the direction of her apartment.

She knows she shouldn't have left, that it was a bit of an overreaction. But the wound was still fresh and she had spent all week doing her best to ignore everything related to Dick and the Bat family.

About a minute later she heard footsteps of a jogger that slowed as they caught up to her. "I'll walk you home." Barry said as he slowed to her pace.

"You don't have to," she replied glancing over to him. "Go have fun, I've walked home alone in Gotham. I can handle myself in Central City."

"I will." Barry declared, and they walked in silence for a few minutes before he spoke again. "I'm sorry about Cisco. He loses all sense of decency when drunk."

She shrugged. "He didn't say anything wrong. I'm just," she cut off for a moment. "I'm just not ready to face anything about it yet."

Barry watched her from the corner of his eye as she pulled her jacket around herself. Her face was unreadable, her dark hair was thrown up in a messy bun with wisps of hair falling out. "You know, if you need someone to-"

"I'm fine."

He dropped it. He couldn't blame her for not wanting to talk about things when he couldn't bring himself to. "Well, just keep it in mind."

She nodded. They had turned down an alley and were standing at the stairs of her apartment. "This is me. Thanks for walking me home."

Barry looked up the stairs, seeing the rickety door. The alley had one light at the end of it, barely enough to see her standing next to it. The walls of the alley were covered in graffiti, multiple dumpsters about. He swore he saw a man lying next to one. "I would have thought you lived somewhere a little nicer."

Shrugging, she looked around. "Everyone minds their business in these parts."

"Sounds like you're hiding from someone."

She snorted. "You wouldn't believe it if I told you." He watched her walk up the stairs, unlock her door and wave to him as she slipped inside.


End file.
